Of threefcore and ten thousand Ifraelites
By three days peftilence? fuch was thy zeal
To Ifrael then, the fame that now to me.
As for those captive tribes, themselves were they
Who wrought their own captivity, fell off
From God to worship calves, the deities
Of Egypt, Baal next and Ashtaroth,

And all th' idolatries of Heathen round,

415

Befides their other worse than heath'nifh crimes; Nor in the land of their captivity

420

Humbled themselves, or penitent besought

The God of their forefathers; but fo dy'd
Impenitent, and left a race behind

Like to themselves, distinguishable scarce

From Gentiles, but by circumcifion vain,
And God with idols in their worship join'd.
Should I of these the liberty regard,

425

Who freed, as to their ancient patrimony,
Unhumbled, unrepentant, unreform'd,

431

Headlong would follow'; and to their Gods perhaps
Of Bethel and of Dan? no, let them serve
Their enemies, who serve idols with God.
Yet he at length, time to himself best known,
Remembring Abraham, by some wondrous call
May bring them back repentant and fincere, 435
And at their paffing cleave th' Affyrian flood,
While to their native land with joy they haste,
As the Red Sea and Jordan once he cleft,

When

When to the promis'd land their fathers pass'd; To his due time and providence I leave them. 440

So fpake Ifrael's true king, and to the Fiend Made answer meet, that made void all his wiles. So fares it when with truth falfhood contends.

The end of the Third Book.